Refugees by country of asylum in Belgium
Belgium: Refugees by country of asylum was 183,551 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Belgium, 1951–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugees by country of asylum in Belgium is 183,551 people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.4% on the previous year and up 529.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Belgium peaked at 183,551 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11,100 people, in 1974.
That places Belgium 35th out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees by country of asylum in Belgium, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 55,000 people | — |
| 1952 | 53,500 people | -2.7% |
| 1953 | 53,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1954 | 53,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 53,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 65,000 people | +22.6% |
| 1957 | 69,000 people | +6.2% |
| 1958 | 63,000 people | -8.7% |
| 1959 | 58,000 people | -7.9% |
| 1960 | 55,000 people | -5.2% |
| 1961 | 53,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1962 | 51,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1963 | 50,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1964 | 47,000 people | -6.0% |
| 1965 | 47,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 40,000 people | -14.9% |
| 1967 | 34,000 people | -15.0% |
| 1968 | 33,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1969 | 30,000 people | -9.1% |
| 1970 | 31,500 people | +5.0% |
| 1971 | 29,000 people | -7.9% |
| 1972 | 29,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 20,000 people | -31.0% |
| 1974 | 11,100 people | -44.5% |
| 1975 | 16,788 people | +51.2% |
| 1976 | 17,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 17,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 17,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 32,000 people | +88.2% |
| 1980 | 33,000 people | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 35,000 people | +6.1% |
| 1982 | 21,000 people | -40.0% |
| 1983 | 35,000 people | +66.7% |
| 1984 | 36,400 people | +4.0% |
| 1985 | 36,600 people | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 35,900 people | -1.9% |
| 1987 | 22,000 people | -38.7% |
| 1988 | 23,117 people | +5.1% |
| 1989 | 25,531 people | +10.4% |
| 1990 | 25,911 people | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 24,071 people | -7.1% |
| 1992 | 24,292 people | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 24,908 people | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 19,497 people | -21.7% |
| 1995 | 31,691 people | +62.5% |
| 1996 | 36,060 people | +13.8% |
| 1997 | 36,060 people | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 15,501 people | -57.0% |
| 1999 | 16,747 people | +8.0% |
| 2000 | 18,821 people | +12.4% |
| 2001 | 12,252 people | -34.9% |
| 2002 | 12,560 people | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 12,583 people | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 13,522 people | +7.5% |
| 2005 | 15,277 people | +13.0% |
| 2006 | 16,811 people | +10.0% |
| 2007 | 17,578 people | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 17,025 people | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 15,536 people | -8.7% |
| 2010 | 17,891 people | +15.2% |
| 2011 | 22,396 people | +25.2% |
| 2012 | 22,023 people | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 25,617 people | +16.3% |
| 2014 | 29,170 people | +13.9% |
| 2015 | 35,302 people | +21.0% |
| 2016 | 42,158 people | +19.4% |
| 2017 | 42,158 people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 42,158 people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 61,662 people | +46.3% |
| 2020 | 64,973 people | +5.4% |
| 2021 | 74,063 people | +14.0% |
| 2022 | 150,713 people | +103.5% |
| 2023 | 167,831 people | +11.4% |
| 2024 | 183,551 people | +9.4% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 183,551 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 10,077 people, 18.2× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 183,551 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 68,603 people, 2.7× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in Belgium changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +103.5% | 74,063 people | 150,713 people |
| 1979 | +88.2% | 17,000 people | 32,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 58,056 people | 53,000 people | 69,000 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 44,000 people | 30,000 people | 55,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 22,039 people | 11,100 people | 32,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 30,355 people | 21,000 people | 36,600 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 25,474 people | 15,501 people | 36,060 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 15,196 people | 12,252 people | 18,821 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 34,054 people | 17,891 people | 61,662 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 128,226 people | 64,973 people | 183,551 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More reference data data for Belgium
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9298 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.291 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1382 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.12 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.61 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7526 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Belgium?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Belgium was 183,551 people in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 183,551 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 11,100 people in 1974.
- How does Belgium rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Belgium ranks 35th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 529.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. Refugees are those who have already been granted asylum status in the country they moved to. This includes all refugees who live in this country, not just those who arrived that year.